Ultimates: Emergence
by Evy Sevin
Summary: My third arc in my Ultimates series, the team has officially come together, but sometimes the worst enemies are within. Please Review! Chapter 2 up, after the events at Invaders' Theater life gets back to normal for the Ultimates, except for Banner . . .
1. Chapter 1

Page **9** of **9**

Ultimates Vol. 1 Arc 3 Part 1

Arc 3: Emergence

Part 1: Pomp and Circumstance

The Ultimates . . .

After facing down 9/11 most Americans thought they could persevere through it all but then disaster struck again in the form of a vicious super human known as Graviton and it was by sheer luck and overwhelming numbers that the black ops team known as "The Howling Commandos" had brought the immensely powerful man down. Almost immediately thereafter General Nick Fury had been tasked with forming a more public team to take care of threats like Graviton. With Uncle Sam's blessing Nick Fury trimmed down some of the excess programs and set about forming a super human team he had dubbed "The Ultimate Humans" or the more PR friendly "Ultimates".

The Story so far . . .

One of the excess programs that Fury had set to be trimmed was the recreation of the Super Soldier formula as it had failed to make significant progress in the over sixty years of its existence. Part of the program's resources was spent keeping the only successful super soldier in the history of the program, Captain America, in stasis until a cure for his unique heart condition caused by the Formula could be found. Fearing for the national hero's life a young scientist on the project, Bruce Banner, developed a formula to cure and awake the Captain and ran off with him.

Fury had to call in the Howling Commandos once more to recover Captain America and though the newly reawakened Captain fought valiantly for his new friend the Howling Commandos were eventually successful when Banner gave himself up to keep Captain America from becoming a fugitive. Banner was charged with community service and made to work for Fury's Ultimates program as a form of penance.

Fury quickly began to form his Ultimates around the newly aroused Captain America. He hired a scientist with the ability to grow exponentially, Hank Pym, and his shrinking girlfriend Janet Van Dyne. After a wealthy ex-weapons developer, Tony Stark, and his board of shareholders found a tropical paradise hidden in the mists of Antarctica and populated by dinosaurs Fury sends his new Ultimates with The Howling Commandos to investigate.

Joining them there is Iron Man, a high-tech bodyguard employed by Tony Stark, and they work together to rescue the lost board members. They are soon beset by raptors and then a strange creature that resembles a cross between a pterodactyl and a human male. The last nearly defeats them until Iron Man discovers the secret to its power and defeats it himself. However no sooner have they beaten it when a volcano erupts sending them all scattering and they return to the United States.

Dramatis Personae

General Nick Fury: A veteran of the previous Iraq war he has risen to the rank of General and has been tasked with forming the Ultimates.

Captain America: Steve Rogers, a National Hero of World War II he has been kept in stasis ever since his heart failed him in the final days of World War II. He has been cured and revived by Bruce Banner and is now a member of the Ultimates.

Hawkeye: Clint Barton, a young aggressive soldier and member of The Howling Commandos he has been operated on when he lost his eyes on a mission and now has cybernetic implants that enhance his already highly capable marksmanship.

Black Knight: Dane Whitman, a quiet and tough soldier that prefers a sword to a firearm, also a member of the Howling Commandos.

Black Widow: Natasha Romanov, a ex-Russian Super Spy. She is now a member of the Howling Commandos.

Bruce Banner: A scientist that used a modified super soldier formula to revive Captain America and temporarily turn himself into a powerful man-monster, a consulting scientist on the Ultimates project.

Henry Pym: A scientist who has found how to make himself grow exponentially. He has been hired on as a member of the Ultimates.

Janet Van Dyne: Girlfriend to Henry Pym, young and attractive she has also been hired on as a member of the Ultimates and has the ability to shrink, fly and fire small energy "stings".

Betty Ross: A scientist who was working on the Super Soldier program with Banner when she helped him revive Captain America.

Iron Man: An armored man who acts as Tony Stark's bodyguard and hero at once. He helped the Ultimates and Howling Commandos recover the members of Tony Stark's board in the Antarctic Jungle.

Tony Stark: A wealthy ex-weapons manufacturer, some believe he himself is Iron Man. He has a heart condition and has had a high-tech heart put in the place of his natural one. He was the man who discovered the Antarctic jungle.

Pomp and Circumstance

Times Square, New York USA

Camera lights flashed so rapidly it was enough to cause seizures. Nick Fury had a secret that he was letting the whole world in on. Many excited dignitaries and celebrities were arriving to partake in the event. Matt Damon had just walked past to several screams from nearby fans and now following him was billionaire industrialist Tony Stark. He had a model at his side as was usual for the known womanizer. Reporters practically screamed a rapid succession of questions at him, anything from how his vacation went to what new technologies his company was planning to release to the public in the upcoming months.

"My vacation?" Tony smirked. "You'll find out all about that at tonight's event."

"Mr. Stark!" one female reporter called out. "What connection do you have with General Fury's big announcement?"

"I can't say anything without spoiling the surprise, but let's just say that I got a sneak preview." And with that he was off still smiling, his date hadn't said a word during the short exchange. Not far behind him was General Ross, an older General that was now serving as an advisor at the White House. He grumpily refused to comment as he walked past the reporters.

It wasn't long before the red carpet was empty and everyone had gathered within the Invaders' Theatre, named for the World War II team of super humans who had been instrumental in helping win the war for the Allies. Captain America himself had worked with them on several occasions but had refused to become a member of their small group, though no one understood why.

Inside were large War-Time murals of the Invaders in action some of them were blown-up black and white photographs and others were paintings by several grateful artists painted after the theatre had gone. One of the old photographs even included a hard to make out Captain America.

The theatre had once been sold to make a private theatre but thanks to Giuliani it had been reacquisition and restored to its old glory. Now it was used for high-end shows and events. Whenever the President had a smaller event in Manhattan he came to the Invaders' Theatre. He was here now, sitting in a balcony covered in bullet-proof glass and swarming with secret service men.

A projector screen had been dropped down, covering the stage. The room rumbled with the curious voices of the elite that had gathered inside to witness what Fury had promised they wouldn't want to miss. Some sat back with their arms folded and scowls upon their faces while others sat forward and were so intent on the stage that they ignored those around them when they attempted conversation.

Entering from left stage came the grizzled but smartly dressed General Nick Fury. Upon seeing him everyone went quiet as he approached a microphone that had been lowered from the ceiling to the center of the stage. Someone coughed as Fury grabbed the microphone.

"Hello," he said almost awkwardly into the microphone. "I know you are all here to find out what your president has just given me a billion dollars for." Everyone chuckled good-naturedly. "Well I'm sure you're all in agreement when I say this video can tell it all much better than I." Another chuckle rippled through the audience. "Lights!"

With that the lights dimmed to almost pitch black, the small motor that withdrew the microphone could be heard. The screen lit up in front of the audience and General Fury was already out of sight. The screen was black for a moment.

"We all remember the terror of 9/11," a voice boomed from the surround sound speakers. Suddenly an image flashed on the screen of the first tower just before it fell. Screams issued from the speakers as the tower crumbled in a giant cloud of ash and debris.

"But the next tragedy that befell us was far more deadly," the voice reminded them. Images of planes suddenly weighing two-hundred times their usual weight plummeting from the sky and destroying cities flashed before them. A quick visual of a man with long black hair and glowing electric eyes flashed before them and several people gasped at the sight of him. His was a name that lives in infamy, Franklin Hall, otherwise known as Graviton.

"It was thanks to a small group of specilized soldiers that we were able to survive," the voice continued. There were shaky blurry images pulled from news stock footage showing a man leaping from a building and letting loose with several arrows, another man was dropping from a black helicopter, two swords in hand. Then the screen went black again.

"With every year the danger seems to grow with hurricanes, terrorists, and super humans growing more and more numerous. It is time for the government to do something to protect us from these new threats and the old methods they are used to using aren't going to work anymore."

Suddenly the screen lit up again, Antarctic snow flew below the camera and the title "Savage Land" appeared in icy blue letters. Several people murmured to each other in confusion, what did this all have to do with General Fury?

*****

In a large sound-proofed room behind the screen sat General Fury and his team of super humans. Captain America sat on Fury's right, staring intently at the screen. He had never seen such a small color television as the one that sat before them displaying the same video that was being featured just outside the wall.

"Ok, as you can see on the laptop," Fury indicated the small television. "They've hyped up the video. All of that snow wasn't even filmed in the Antarctic, but up in the Arctic Circle."

"I know this whole Ultimates thing is important to you, but don't you think I'd do better staying with the Commandos?" Clint asked. He wasn't too thrilled about all of the publicity he was going to be getting. "I don't even have any super powers like Cap or the others."

"Neither do Dane or Natasha," Fury refuted. "You don't hear them complaining or asking to go back."

"I think Clint is right," Dane chimed in. He rubbed his shaved head, he had never been in the spotlight before and he wasn't sure he ever wanted to be. "The Commandos are the best at what we do, and we don't "do" superhero."

"Well boys," Fury told them. "It's time to learn. It's a little late to back out on me now. You're going to be going on stage in less than twenty minutes."

"Super powers don't make the man," Captain America told Hawkeye. "From what I've seen you're more than qualified to be on this team. I understand not wanting to be put at the center of attention but if that is how we can best serve our country then that's what we should do."

"Look," Hawkeye turned his attention to Captain America. "I know you're the symbol of America and all, but not all of us joined the military because we are rabid fans of our government."

Suddenly every sound but the laptop stopped. Everyone turned and looked at Hawkeye, looks of shock and disapproval clearly on their faces. The only person who didn't seemed angry or surprised was Captain America himself. In fact he didn't seem to be perturbed at all.

"The government isn't what makes America what it is," Cap replied. "You, me, all those people out there watching, they're what makes America what it is. I love this country because I love the people, not because I have any love for the government. You're a soldier, you should know what you are fighting for. And if you aren't fighting for the People then why DID you join the military?"

For a moment no one said anything, not even Hawkeye. Clint was looking at Cap, trying to figure the man out. Did he really believe all that stuff he had just said or was he really just an act?

"I'm sorry," Clint finally apologized. "I didn't mean to put your reason for doing this down."

"That's fine, Clint, but you never did answer my question," Cap insisted. "Why did you join the military?"

"Look I don't need my reasoning questioned, not even by you," Clint was angry again. "I've sacrificed plenty for this country. I lost my eyes on my third mission and when they replaced them instead of going home as they offered I stayed on. Do you know how bad it hurts to have your eyes poked out piece by piece just for the entertainment of some terrorists?"

"Clint," Captain America began. "I wasn't questioning your reasons for joining, but I want you to. I know what it is like suffering in war, believe me when I tell you, you don't want to hear what I have been through."

"Barton!" Fury finally barked. "That is enough! You're part of the Ultimates team, deal with it! We have to be out on the stage in just over fifteen minutes and I'm not wasting my time on your rebellious streak."

"Fine," Clint clenched his teeth. "Just remember that you owe me one, Fury. A big one."

Betty Ross' Apartment, New York

"Come on, Betty, they are about to introduce the team," Bruce called out. "You don't want to miss it."

"Already?" Betty called from the kitchen. "I thought they weren't going to reveal them for another ten minutes."

Bruce sat in front of the television, remote in hand. "You never know, they might introduce them earlier, come one, this is a team we helped get together. If it wasn't for us Cap might still not be awake."

"I wish they would give you more credit," Betty said, coming in from the kitchen with a beer in one hand for Bruce and a glass of white wine for herself. "They probably won't mention you at all."

"That's the life of a scientist," Bruce replied nonchalantly. "We make discoveries but rarely are we given the credit. At least with the Ultimates, once I am done with my community service, I will be getting paid enough to make up for it. Can you imagine two million a year?"

Betty giggled. "That's what you're getting because you were the one who cured Captain America. I'm not getting nearly that much."

"What?" Bruce turned to her in surprise. "How much did they offer you when they took you off the Super Soldier program?"

"One hundred eighty a year," Betty told him matter-of-factly. "And I am very satisfied with it."

"I'll have to talk with General Fury about that," Bruce told her, determined. "You deserve better."

"Please," Betty begged. "Don't do that. The general doesn't like us scientist very much. Maybe he'll dock your salary in retaliation, or not renew your contract when you finish your . . . service."

"Oh, Betty . . ." Banner began, but he stopped. The picture had changed on the television, and they weren't showing the Ultimates.

"Oh my God . . ." Betty gasped.

Invaders' Theatre, New York USA

"Weren't we supposed to go on a minute ago?" Hank Pym asked General Fury. The General glanced at his watch and frowned.

"You know how these damn functions can be, some idiot wants more attention and takes up all of your time," Janet said.

"That's alright," Hank smiled at her. "I didn't want to stand there in front of all those people for very long anyway."

"I'm going to see what's holding them up," Janet said, standing up. She walked over to the door. The room they were in was hidden behind the movie screen so once she opened the door she shrunk, there was no use in making a spectacle of herself if it wasn't necessary.

Suddenly the world was a hundred times bigger than it had been. The loud sounds of the movie was gone, but she wasn't sure if that was because it was over or it was because her shrunken ears couldn't handle the exact vibrations that brought such sounds to her ears. She flew with her insectoid-like wings behind the screen, it took her a lot longer than it would have if she could fly when she was normal size.

At the edge of the screen she flew out. No one could see her of course, she was about the size of a wasp and much less noisy. Her eyes adjusted to the light of the theatre and she nearly stopped flying. Without another thought she flew back to the room as fast as her wings would take her.

It was a good thing for everyone they had all been hidden in the room behind the cinema screen. She dodged a few giant pieces of rope thicker than she was tall. At her size she could easily see the individual fibers. She just hoped Hank hadn't followed her out of the door.

She flew into the small space where the door had been left ajar when she had left. She quickly grew taller and taller, she was glad they had invented a suit that could shrink with her, she didn't to appear naked in front of all of her teammates.

"That was fast," Hank noted as she grew.

"Shut up!" she whispered loudly. "The entire theatre is being held hostage, there are lots of men with automatic guns out there."

"Shit!" Fury growled. "They'll know I am supposed to be here, they're probably still looking for us."

"Time to show them what we're made of," Cap pronounced, standing up proudly, reaching for his shield. They all had their costumes already on and weapons ready, they had been planning to make a grand entrance.

"What are we going to do?" Hank asked, the fear evident in his voice. "Dinosaurs are one thing, but these guys have guns!"

"Jan!" Cap ordered. "I want you to go out in shruken form and cause a distraction, just don't grow big enough that they can shoot you easily. The rest of you, follow me and get ready for a fight!"

Everyone looked at Fury. "Well, you heard what the Captain said, you'd better get to it!" Fury himself pulled a pistol from a shoulder holster.

"How do you want me to distract them?"

"I don't care, you know what you can do better than I," Cap said. "Let's get moving, everyone!"

Jan went first, shrinking quickly into her smallest form, the rest followed right behind her. They could hear someone shoutinig, but the large white screen was muffling the sound and they couldn't make it out.

Jan flew out behind the screen. She buzzed her way over to the man that was standing on the stage shouting, but her smaller ears couldn't tell what he was saying, probably looking for Nick Fury.

"Hey, ugly!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. The man stopped yelling and looked about himself in confusion. She swooped in low and stopped in front of one of his eyes. He spotted her, but it looked like he didn't quite believe what he was seeing. He'd believe soon enough.

She thrust both hands forward and fired one of her "stings", which hurt more than the real thing, right into his eyeball. He screamed and for once Jan was glad that her ears had a hard time picking up sound at her present size.

The man's scream was signal enough and Captain America leaped out from behind the screen and tossed his shield at another terrorist that stood further back in the theatre. The shield connected and broke the man's arm at the elbow, his gun went flying. Before anyone else could pick it up, Tony Stark, who had been sitting in the audience, lunged forward and retrieved the automatic firearm.

Amazingly the shield returned to its owner as if it was a boomerang. Three more terrorists came running into the theatre room, guns blazing. Cap covered himself with his shield and ran forward. Hank stepped out from behind the movie screen at twenty feet in height. Hawkeye came out with bow drawn and fired at the terrorrists that were shooting at Captain America. Black Widow wasn't far behind him, firing her own gun. Dane and Nick Fury appeared together and fired their own pistols.

As Captain America charged one of the terrorists fell, arrows protruding from his chest. Another screamed as a bullet that had bounced of Cap's shield tore through his leg. They stopped shooting and withdrew knives and nadvanced on Cap. Steve easily blocked one knife thrust with his shield and kicked out with his foot at the other, catching him in the throat. The man gagged and fell to the floor.

Glass shattered from the display room above and fell onto the screaming crowd of civilians, most of whom were too scared to move. The remaining terrorist fell thanks to a bullet in the head courtesy of Black Widow.

It would have been easy had that been all of them but eight more in military fatigues came racing in. Learning from their dead compatriots' mistakes they quickly grabbed several hostages at the last row of the cinema and held guns to their heads. They weren't going down so easily.

All of the action came to a screeching halt. Cap stood before the terrorists, shield in hand. The rest of the Ultimates froze in place, they didn't want to do anything to get some innocent killed. Besides some whimpering and heavy panting there was no noise as the two groups stared at each other.

"Give up General Fury and Captain America and the rest of you can go free," one of the terrorists broke the silence with a heavy middle spanish accent.

"Why do you want General Fury and me?" asked Captain America, stalling for time to come up with a plan.

"America has commited many crimes, even a patriot like yourself can't be blind to that" the man spat. "Choose any one of them for the reason."

Cap had to stall for more time, there was no way for him to take out eight terrorist by himself before one of them fired a gun and killed someone.

Blam! The doubledoors that led into the theatre slammed open accompanied by a loud sound that sounded vaguely familiar to Cap. Iron Man plowed into the terrorists from behind as he flew into the theatre. The terrorists shouted as they were flung forward, a shot went off.

What was Iron Man doing here? There was no time to focus on that, Cap quickly smashed his shield forward, catching one terrorist under the chin. He kicked out again, knocking the gun from someone's hand. He could feel a quick stacatto burst of bullets pound into his shield. Most people's arms would have shattered at the force of the impact but thanks to the Super Soldier Formula Steven had no problem shrugging off the force and taking another terrorist out with a hard right hook.

Cap glanced for the next opponent, but was surprised to find that they were all laying on the floor. Tony Stark stood over one, still holding the gun that he had taken, there was a little blood on the handle. Iron Man hovered over two more the metallic gauntlets covering his hands glowed brightly. Another terrorist lay on the ground a single arrow sticking out from between his eyes. One was so riddled with bullets it would probably take the investigators weeks to figure out which had actually killed the hispanic man.

That left one. He lay struggling futiley under Hank Pym's foot, his gun several feet away.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Fury said loudly inbetween gasps for breath. "I give you, the Ultimates!"

A loud roar of approval overwhelmed Captain America's ears. It was then that he felt the pain in his leg. He looked down and saw blood leaking down his leg and dripping onto the floor. A bullet had penetrated his thigh. He had been so full of adrenaline that he hadn't felt it. He would be fine, it wasn't the first injury that he had received in the line of duty.


	2. Chapter 2

Page **8** of **8**

**Ultimates Vol. 1 Arc 3 Part 2**

**Arc 3: Emergence**

**Part 2: Contention**

**The Ultimates . . . **

After facing down 9/11 most Americans thought they could persevere through it all but then disaster struck again in the form of a vicious super human known as Graviton and it was by sheer luck and overwhelming numbers that the black ops team known as "The Howling Commandos" had brought the immensely powerful man down. Almost immediately thereafter General Nick Fury had been tasked with forming a more public team to take care of threats like Graviton. With Uncle Sam's blessing Nick Fury trimmed down some of the excess programs and set about forming a super human team he had dubbed "The Ultimate Humans" or the more PR friendly "Ultimates".

**Contention**

**Triskelion, New York USA**

It wasn't often that you'd find Captain America doing personal lessons in self-defense for anyone. That's why such a large group of soldiers gathered around as Cap attempted to show Henry Pym a few basics of combat. Neither man was in his Ultimates uniform, but despite similar features they were quite easy to tell apart. Both had stunning blue eyes and medium blonde hair, they also were close to same height.

However their musculature was what separated them physically. Captain America looked exactly as one would expect a super soldier to look, roped of hard corded muscles covered his body. One of the reasons several of the female soldiers and even a couple of the scientists alerted each other every time Steve was in the gym. Even now several soldier women stood watching in silence.

"Now," Steve instructed his teammate. "You always want to keep a fairly wide stance. You cannot stand as if you were examining something under a microscope. Someone could easily trip you that way."

"Like this?" Hank Pym spread his legs.

"Now that's too far," Steve smiled patiently. "Stand exactly like me, keep your feet about as far apart as your shoulders."

"Thanks again for volunteering to teach me," Hank said timidly as he attempted to copy Steve's stance.

"Don't mention it," Steve waved his hand as if to brush away Pym's thanks. "Now let's focus on your upper body. You want to provide your opponent with the smallest area as possible to attack. You'll want to turn just slightly to one side. No, not like that. There you go, but keep your arms up. No, no, keep them tight against your body so that they are ready to block."

The military women laughed quietly at the fumbling scientist as he tried to follow Steve's instructions to the letter. The soldiers here tried to enjoy every moment they were in the Triskelion. The Triskelion was owned and run by the UN, the international peacekeeping force SHIELD would eventually be running the facility themselves. As SHIELD was still so new it had yet to hire and place enough staff to fully man all of their stations local governments were helping them using their own military and weapons. The soldiers considered this almost a vacation.

"Okay," Steve repressed a frustrated sigh. This wasn't going nearly as well as he had hoped it would. "Now that you have the stance, mostly, let's see what you know how to do."

"Do we have to do this with everyone watching?" Pym asked with a self-concious glance up at the soldiers.

"We'll be fighting in front of much larger crowds than this," Steve explained with toss of his head to indicate the soldiers. "You'll have to learn to let your fear and embarassment go."

Hank Pym sighed and tried to shake the thought of everyone watching him from his mind. He had never been much of a fighter, he liked to use his mind to solve his problems. Fights and wars were messy affairs where everyone lost in his opinion. He had never had to fight another human being before.

"Okay, attack me," Steve invited.

"What?"

"Show me what you know, attack me."

Pym lunged forward thrusting a fist at the Captain's face. Steve easily blocked the punch and returned with one of his own. It connected with Hank's face, sending him stumbling backwards and finally falling onto his butt. The soldiers laughed loudly and Hank's face flushed an ugly shade of red. He stood up in a huff and stalked towards Captain America. Captain America shot a stern look at the laughing soldiers. They all stopped laughing.

"You're an asshole!" Pym growled at Captain America, pointing a finger violently at him. "You can just shove it. I didn't come here just to be humiliated in front of all these soldiers!"

With that the scientist turned angrily and stormed off. A few of the soldiers barely stifled giggles.

"Hank, wait!" Cap shouted out to his teammate, but all he got for his effort was a middle finger. Cap sighed and looked up at the soldiers that had been watching, most of them women. "I am very disappointed in you all. This man saved my life in the Savage Land and all you can do is laugh at him. If I thought any of you were worth my time I'd humiliate you in front of everyone, but you're not even worth lifting a finger over. Get out of my sight!"

Rebuked, the soldiers' faces turned pale and they hustled to leave the exercise room. With a sad shake of his head Captain America sat back down and put his head in-between his hands.

**Lab 3, Triskelion**

Bruce Banner's desk was a mess. Old notes from Abraham Erskine, the man who turned scrawny Steven Rogers into Captain America, were scattered about his desk. A vial of blood with a rubber stopper sat atop them. His printer was spitting out readouts faster than he could keep up.

He didn't care, instead he was staring at the computer monitor where the analysis of Steven Rogers blood. It was his job to recreate the lost super soldier formula for SHIELD and so far he had been unsuccessful. With Captain America now awake and healthy the pressure to find the secret to the formula had increased ten-fold. Yet he was no closer now than he had been before.

The problem with discovering the secret of the formula was not only Abraham Erskine's untimely death, but also his notes contained refrences to things that no one could identify, like something he called "Vita-rays", among other things. What the hell were Vita-rays?

Banner had searched through notes of many of Erskine's contemporaries and was unable to find anything referencing Vita-rays. He was sure it was code for something, but what, and why would he hide what it was? He had shyly asked Captain America if he had known what they were, but to no avail. Normally Betty would help him get through this difficult task, but Fury had pulled her for another project.

"Still working on that Super Soldier Formula?" came Janet's voice. Bruce jumped, he hadn't heard the door open.

"What else would I be doing?" Banner asked rhetorically. Despite his growing feelings for Betty, Jan made him a bit jumpy, she was gorgeous enough to be a supermodel.

"Right," she agreed, sauntering over to him in a tight outfit of black and yellow, covered in a white lab coat. "You don't have much of a life outside the lab, do you Bruce?"

"Well, considering every hour I put in here goes toward my service hours, I am glad I can spend so much time here," Bruce defended. Janet looked at him in disbelief and a sneer.

"Whatever helps you sleep better at night," Janet sat on his desk, covering a variety of paper files. "What is it, exactly, that confounds you so much about this formula. It was invented in the forties, it can't be that far ahead of the times."

Bruce ignored her obvious insult for the chance to vent to someone. "It's that damned Erskine, he basically wrote most of his notes and the formula in some sort of code."

"Is it a mathematical code? He speacialized in chemistry but everyone knows he was a math geek," Janet lectured.

"I know that, I've been studying him and his work exclusively for years now," Bruce growled. "It's not math, he refers to several things that we know just don't exist or are completely unknown."

"Years, hm?" she stood up from his desk and smiled condescendingly down at him. "And yet here you are with nothing to show for it. I think I'll ask Fury to let Hank take a look at it."

"Get out!" Bruce shouted, pointing towards the door. "I am busy and I don't need you around here getting in the way. Are you even a scientist?"

Before she could respond he shoved her out the door and slammed it behind her. Once she was gone he leaned against the door. Sweat was beating on his forehead and he felt light-headed. Something was wrong with him. He stumbled back to his desk and sat down, trying to slow his racing heart. He sat for a moment, head in his hands until finally his nerves had calmed enough for him to think clearly.

**General Fury's Office, Triskelion**

General Fury's office had three large flat screen monitors hanging on the wall. His desk was neat and almost spare except a digital phone, and a fourth, smaller monitor connected to the computer tower beneath his desk. He wasn't a man of too many comforts, he had never been.

When he had been asked by the UN to spearhead the peacekeeping organization he had almost refused. It was his close friend Dugan that helped him change his mind, reminding him of all the good he could do with the power he would receive. Fury sometimes felt even more powerless now, caught up in all the red tape of politics, unable to act when he felt he needed to.

Even now he felt powerless in the task of gaining a weapons contract for SHIELD. There were days when he wished he had never accepted the position. The Ultimates was exactly what he felt he needed to regain that power.

"Tony!" Fury said as friendly as he could manage. He had never been a buddy buddy type of guy. "How are things since our little reunion at the Invaders' Theatre? I hear your stock's gone up."

"Fury," Tony already sounded irritated and the two hadn't spoken since the incident in the theatre. "What a surprise. To what do I owe this inestimable honor? Let me guess, weapons?"

"Tony," Nick tried to remain friendly, something that didn't come easy to him. He was the type of man to speak his mind, and damn anyone who didn't want to hear. "You've got the wrong idea."

"Oh really?" Tony bit sarcastically. "And why would I think you were calling about weapons?"

"Look, Tony," Fury ground his teeth. "Ever since the Savage Land incident haven't I had my people ease the pressure off you? I've changed my mind about you Tony, and you vision."

"Uh huh," Tony sounded unimpressed. "Tell me Fury, this wouldn't have anything to do with Iron Man would it?"

"Now, Tony, hear me out . . ." Fury began.

"Fury, Fury, Fury," Tony interrupted. "How many times do I have to tell you I am not going to sell weapons to the SHIELD or any other organization. No matter what form they may take, and that includes Iron Man."

"Tony, just listen," Fury finally barked. "Ever since we went to the Savage Land I have been thinking. I initially pitched the Ultimates as the Ultimate in human capability, super soldiers, expert marksmen, super spies, you know the rest. I think I was too limited. What if the Ultimates weren't just the ultimates in human capability but the ultimate in human achievement!"

"Wow," Tony said sarcastically. "You've really inspried me here, I think I'll place my hand over my heart and pledge to . . . still not give you any weapons no matter what form they take."

Fury picked up a dead cigar and chomped ferociously on the butt. "Think of it this way Tony. With your man Iron Man on the team you could be informed of everything we're doing and our tech."

"Sorry but you can't bribe me into letting Iron Man join your little group," Tony refused.

"If you can build that little piece of hardware than someone else can too," Fury hissed. "What happens when bin Laden gets his hands on something like Iron Man, or worse Kim Jong Il?"

"If it comes to that," Tony sighed. "You can count on Iron Man to take them down personally," Tony acquiesced. "I thought that was the very reason you were gathering your little super group anyway."

"We could use the technological expertise he would bring," Fury tried to reason. "Our leader is a man who is stuck in 1940's tech."

"I can see your problem," Tony admitted. "But it's not MY problem, General. That's why you have such a large budget, you'll just have to get by without me. Isn't Reed Richards on your pay roll?"

"Richards disappeared after his lab exploded," Fury sighed. "You know that, Tony, besides, he was only an advisor."

"Sounds like you're in a real situation," Tony laughed. "Though I know you have Pym on there as well, he was supposed to work for me. However, I am a reasonable man, who could resist being on a SHIELD team called "the Ultimates"?"

"We outbid you, Tony, fair and square," Fury rebutted.

"Either way," Fury could hear Tony smile as he said this. "You're not getting any help from me."

"When people hear that you aren't letting Iron Man help protect them," Fury warned. "When they see that you are keeping him all to yourself, well your company could be affected by public reaction."

"Can the thinly veiled threats, Fury," Tony said seriously. "Just like you can't beat my Iron Man armor you can't beat me in the business world. You can play your little spy games, but in the corporate world I am king, not you."

Fury heard and audible click as Tony slid shut his cell. Fury cursed and slammed his head piece onto his desk. There was nothing so infuriating as a liberal peace lover in possession of the most powerful weapon man had yet invented. What the hell was he going to do?

"Sir?" his secretary, Victoria Hand interrupted his furious thoughts. "Hank Pym is here to see you."

Fury sighed again and threw away his now broken head piece. "Send him on in, and keep everyone else away for the rest of the day."

**Lab 3, Triskelion**

Bruce Banner hadn't stopped to rest since Janet van Dyne had left his lab. She had been right, he had failed Fury and everyone else with his inability to reproduce the Super Soldier Serum. Now more than ever the world needed a team like the Ultimates and super soldiers were a good way to fill in the holes where the needs were the greatest. He imagined a world where the injustices of Darfur would never occur or, if they did they were quickly resolved by UN super soldiers.

He just had to think outside the box. He was sure that Erskine hadn't found something that had disappeared into thin air. The key had to be something that could have been obtained in the early forties, and if it was obtainable then than it should be available today. At first he had been stumped and tried to research the individual ingredients of the serum to try and understand what kind of catalyst could cause the effect they were searching for. That had been ineffectual.

Finally, he happened on a brilliant idea, search all deliveries and manifests for Erskine up to two years before the successful experiment that was Steve Rogers. He searched for all signed documents, all packages paid for by the government to help in his research, and any notes he might have made about objects in his possession, no matter how infinitesimal.

That alone had taken the rest of the daylight hours, and now, as the dark settled on the East Coast, he found himself with a large list of items that promised nothing and yet everything. He removed his glasses and rubbed his tired eyes, it was time to experiment with the incomplete serum, he couldn't stop now that he could be so close. Yet, he didn't have SHIELD's permission for human or animal test subjects, he had never let such a small thing as a signature stop him before . . .

**Betty Ross' Apartment, New York**

Betty sat at her table, a bottle of nice wine sat unopened along with a single unused plate and utensil set. The plate that sat in front of her had slowly been covered in crumbs and small drops of dressing from her salad. The TV was blaring in the background as she sat silently staring at the bottle of wine.

She glanced sadly at her watch, eleven thirty and still not even a phone call. She sighed and picked up her own dishes. She rinsed them under the sink and stared at her cell phone, no call. When she was done she placed them in the dishwasher, still no call, text, or e-mail.

Betty knew that Bruce had a habit of being lost in his work, but she thought she had meant more to him than that. She blew out a few candles she had placed about the apartment for romantic effect. There was no need for them now. She covered the dinner she had left in the kitchen and placed it in the fridge. Who knew if he would even remember to come here, but if he did at least dinner would be waiting for him. She stopped herself. Why was she going through so much trouble for someone who couldn't even be bothered to remember their date? She glanced at the carefully prepared steak in her hand and after another moment's hesitation she placed it in the fridge along with the salad and potatoes. She couldn't help how she felt.

She glanced at her phone one last time, no messages, no missed calls, and no e-mails. She turned and left her phone in the kitchen while she removed her button up shirt and headed to bed. She doubted she would be getting any sleep anytime soon, but it was a much more comfortable place to cry.

**Location Undisclosed, New York City**

The UN, as part of its agreement with the US, had handed over the criminal behind the Savage Land encounter, once he had verified as a US citizen. Ever since they had kept him so heavily drugged that in his few lucid moments he thought he was still in the Savage Land, having no memory of leaving it or the journey back to the United States of America.

Even now they were processing him. He had been identified as Karl Lykos, a scientist that had been doing government research on climate change in Antarctica before he disappeared. That had been been over three years ago, how he had survived for so long or what had changed him into that creature was something the government wanted to find out, and fast.

He was unkempt, his beard and hair looked like it hadn't been trimmed since he had disappeared. Had he been turned into that creature so long ago, and if so would he have any memory of his time in that form? The guards of his top secret prison shoved him roughly into a small square cell with nothing but a drain in the middle. He stumbled about in his drug-dazed state.

High pressure sprayers were turned on and the guards sprayed him down with a fire hose like a cow before slaughter. The ice cold drops of water felt like needles drumming into his side. Through the thick fog of sedatives the pain finally reached him and he cried out in pain.

A female guard took a bottle of dish soap and squirted at him from a distance, keeping herself clear of the ice cold water. He stumbled, trying to get away from the cruel spray, but he found automatic guns blocking his way. They shoved him with the cold barrels and when that didn't work they beat him down until he stopped fighting. The spraying continued.

After a few more minutes they were satisfied he was clean enough and drug him out to a smaller cell and dumped him inside along with an orange prison suit and an a pair of soft flip flops. In a drug-induced haze he pulled on the clothes, showing that there was still some civilization left in him.

Almost a full shivering hour passed before anyone bothered to check on him again. A doctor in a white lab coat strode in confidently with four armed guards behind him. He walked briskly to Karl's cell and looked down at the wretched underweight man with no pity in his eyes.

"Get him out of there," the doctor bossed. The guards unlocked the cell with a swiped card and an input code. "Get him to my operating room, and make it quick, we don't have long until his sedatives wear off."

The guards grabbed the haggard scientist roughly and pulled him forcefully from his cell, having no patience for his drug addled brain's slow reactions. He fell on his face as they tried to push him forward. Sighing, one of the gaurds bent over and grabbed him by the scruff of his neck.

There was a quick flash of light gone almost as fast as it had appeared. The guard stumbled back, aided by the suddenly alert Karl Lykos. Before they could react, Lykos was on the other three guards, smashing them aside with surprising strength. The doctor stared in shock and horror. Lykos brushed him aside as if he were nothing more than a feather, sending the doctor stumbling to the ground.

"Help!" the doctor called as Lykos raced away down the hall. Three guards came racing to the doctor from behind. "Forget me, stop him!"

One guard lifted his gun and fired. Lykos was able to dodge the shot and the doctor tackled the guard, but was unable to take him down. "Dammit! We need him alive, and healthy enough to survive surgery!"

Before he could get very far more guards came sprinting in front of him. He spun around and began running back toward where he had come from. With a single call he fell on his face. Behind him two guards held onto tasers, keeping the electricity running through the mutant.

"Quick!" One guard called. "Get the sedative in him before he recovers!"

The doctor scrambled to his feet and pulled out a large syringe. Just as the mutant scientist began to twitch in recovery the doctor arrived and stabbed the needle into his shoulder and plunged the sedative in faster than he would with a normal patient. Lykos turned hate filled eyes on him.

"Hit him again," the doctor said coldly. Following orders the guards pulled the trigger on their tasers and sent ten thousand volts coursing through the scientist's body. Karl Lykos stiffened and soon relaxed.


End file.
